Notably the commercials are scattered on Apple's regional YouTube channels rather than its main U.S. feed.

"All Your Stuff" suggests the iPad is easier to pack, while "Organised Notes" claims that it can replace a schooldesk's worth of notebooks. "Paperless Paperwork" makes a similar argument for the office, and finally, "Travel Simply" depicts an iPad as better for planes than a laptop.

Apple has been eager to position both the 9.7-inch iPad and the iPad Pro as practical devices that can replace a laptop or even a desktop PC. It may be particularly motivated now that the 2018 model of the former supports the Apple Pencil.

Showing people what your product can do for them is better than spouting technical specs and claiming faster this-or-that. And for the average user an iPad Pro can indeed replace a laptop or desktop PC. Remember that Steve Ballmer predicted the iPhone would fail would fail because it didn’t have a physical keyboard and therefore could not be used for business.

Showing people what your product can do for them is better than spouting technical specs and claiming faster this-or-that. And for the average user an iPad Pro can indeed replace a laptop or desktop PC. Remember that Steve Ballmer predicted the iPhone would fail would fail because it didn’t have a physical keyboard and therefore could not be used for business.

Exactly. Also keep in mind that a lot of online commenters are techie geek folks who drool about terabytes, gigahertz, pixel density, and video FPS. Apple's massive customer base goes way beyond us and Apple must appeal to a much wider audience. I may care about how may apps I can have open on my iPhone at the same time while my neighbor only cares that it comes in pink. Apple must value each of us the same.

Showing people what your product can do for them is better than spouting technical specs and claiming faster this-or-that. And for the average user an iPad Pro can indeed replace a laptop or desktop PC. Remember that Steve Ballmer predicted the iPhone would fail would fail because it didn’t have a physical keyboard and therefore could not be used for business.

Exactly. Also keep in mind that a lot of online commenters are techie geek folks who drool about terabytes, gigahertz, pixel density, and video FPS. Apple's massive customer base goes way beyond us and Apple must appeal to a much wider audience. I may care about how may apps I can have open on my iPhone at the same time while my neighbor only cares that it comes in pink. Apple must value each of us the same.

Actually, I think Apple values the largest group the most, which is why they don’t make a laptop with a 27-inch screen, eight scsi ports and a battery the size of a smartcar.

[...] Remember that Steve Ballmer predicted the iPhone would fail would fail because it didn’t have a physical keyboard and therefore could not be used for business.

Balmer was wrong. It isn't the absence of a physical keyboard that's the big problem (though I admit I don't care for typing on a screen), it's the lack of convenient cursor control! Trying to edit text on a touch device is annoying enough to me that I will put down my phone and go to the computer just to post a comment here.

Love the travel one, reminds me of a flight I took last year; the guy next to me was trying to balance his Surface Pro when the seat in front was fully reclined but the angle was too steep and it kept flopping forward.

Now Apple, show us the Photographer running that Pro management/adjustment software that makes desktops redundant, the Musician creating on the move or at a live performance, the Architect/Designer holding their favourite ‘pencil’. All powered with new iPad Pro silicon.

Now Apple, show us the Photographer running that Pro management/adjustment software that makes desktops redundant,

they can't do this one until the software exists. preferably natively and it doesn't yet. the fact that Photos on iOS lacks all the same features as the Mac version not to mention better plug in support is one of several things I take umbrage with and I'm a huge iPad supporter

[...] Remember that Steve Ballmer predicted the iPhone would fail would fail because it didn’t have a physical keyboard and therefore could not be used for business.

Balmer was wrong. It isn't the absence of a physical keyboard that's the big problem (though I admit I don't care for typing on a screen), it's the lack of convenient cursor control! Trying to edit text on a touch device is annoying enough to me that I will put down my phone and go to the computer just to post a comment here.

I found 3d touch helped a LOT with cursor movement within text. I've noticed that iOS 12 brings that to non-3d touch devices too - by long pressing the spacebar it changes the keyboard to a trackpad for a precise cursor. works well on my iPhone SE iOS 12 beta, haven't tried ipad as I haven't upgraded them yet

Now Apple, show us the Photographer running that Pro management/adjustment software that makes desktops redundant,

they can't do this one until the software exists. preferably natively and it doesn't yet. the fact that Photos on iOS lacks all the same features as the Mac version not to mention better plug in support is one of several things I take umbrage with and I'm a huge iPad supporter

Exactly! The software should exist. Where’s Final Cut/Logic Express versions for iPad? Where’s iCloud Pro Photo Library? Aperture Touch? Affinity Photo is great but we’ve moved on from layers. Even the laggardly Lightroom iOS is getting there but it’s on Android too. The only Pro Apps on iOS are Android ports - disgraceful squandering of a massive lead! Where’s Apple? On holiday?

[...] Remember that Steve Ballmer predicted the iPhone would fail would fail because it didn’t have a physical keyboard and therefore could not be used for business.

Balmer was wrong. It isn't the absence of a physical keyboard that's the big problem (though I admit I don't care for typing on a screen), it's the lack of convenient cursor control! Trying to edit text on a touch device is annoying enough to me that I will put down my phone and go to the computer just to post a comment here.

I found 3d touch helped a LOT with cursor movement within text. I've noticed that iOS 12 brings that to non-3d touch devices too - by long pressing the spacebar it changes the keyboard to a trackpad for a precise cursor. works well on my iPhone SE iOS 12 beta, haven't tried ipad as I haven't upgraded them yet

Showing people what your product can do for them is better than spouting technical specs and claiming faster this-or-that. And for the average user an iPad Pro can indeed replace a laptop or desktop PC. Remember that Steve Ballmer predicted the iPhone would fail would fail because it didn’t have a physical keyboard and therefore could not be used for business.

That all depends on how you define the "average user" and what they use it for. For the average business user using a spreadsheet or student typing a 10 page term paper, the iPad lacks an essential feature: A cursor and mouse/touchpad. Yeh, you CAN do those things on an iPad, but its a crappy experience. For that class of user the Surface Go provides a better experience.

These ads show the iPad being used advantageously in conditions that favor its strengths. But, in real life, teachers assign students paper based assignments and schools hand out text books. Yes, the iPad CAN do those things and actually do them better. But until every student has one (or the equivalent) schools will still have to be paper based -- and that's the controlling factor.

[...] Remember that Steve Ballmer predicted the iPhone would fail would fail because it didn’t have a physical keyboard and therefore could not be used for business.

Balmer was wrong. It isn't the absence of a physical keyboard that's the big problem (though I admit I don't care for typing on a screen), it's the lack of convenient cursor control! Trying to edit text on a touch device is annoying enough to me that I will put down my phone and go to the computer just to post a comment here.

Yeh, I found myself doing just that yesterday. I needed to create a spreadsheet so I used my Lenovo laptop to access Apple's Numbers app and typed in what I needed quickly and easily with the tab keys, delete key, backspace key, and mouse. Then I used my phone to print it (because the Web based version of Numbers sucks at printing.)

Love the travel one, reminds me of a flight I took last year; the guy next to me was trying to balance his Surface Pro when the seat in front was fully reclined but the angle was too steep and it kept flopping forward.

Now Apple, show us the Photographer running that Pro management/adjustment software that makes desktops redundant, the Musician creating on the move or at a live performance, the Architect/Designer holding their favourite ‘pencil’. All powered with new iPad Pro silicon.

Yep, all stuff that the iPad excels at.

But why didn't they show somebody completing an EXCEL spreadsheet?

... Because the iPad can do it, but it sucks at it!

It all depends on what you're doing on it. Not everybody creates music or designs buildings. Actually, only a relatively few do.

[...] Remember that Steve Ballmer predicted the iPhone would fail would fail because it didn’t have a physical keyboard and therefore could not be used for business.

Balmer was wrong. It isn't the absence of a physical keyboard that's the big problem (though I admit I don't care for typing on a screen), it's the lack of convenient cursor control! Trying to edit text on a touch device is annoying enough to me that I will put down my phone and go to the computer just to post a comment here.

FYI, this is real and it's coming. I have one of the test units. It works as advertised. It has been a long time coming, that is true but they really care about making it perfect. It is going to make a lot of people very happy. It can move the cursor, select, copy, cut, paste, adjust volume, etc., etc. https://waytools.com

Love the travel one, reminds me of a flight I took last year; the guy next to me was trying to balance his Surface Pro when the seat in front was fully reclined but the angle was too steep and it kept flopping forward.

Now Apple, show us the Photographer running that Pro management/adjustment software that makes desktops redundant, the Musician creating on the move or at a live performance, the Architect/Designer holding their favourite ‘pencil’. All powered with new iPad Pro silicon.

Yep, all stuff that the iPad excels at.

But why didn't they show somebody completing an EXCEL spreadsheet?

... Because the iPad can do it, but it sucks at it!

It all depends on what you're doing on it. Not everybody creates music or designs buildings. Actually, only a relatively few do.

Excel is a GUI product poorly modified for touch. Numbers works just fine. MS are too invested in the PC market to even take touch seriously.